About Alven
Who we are
Alven is an independent early-stage venture capital firm with a successful track record of 5 successive funds backing more than 130 startups over 20 years. As of 2020 Alven has over €500m in funds under management.
Alven was founded 20 years ago in 2000 by Guillaume Aubin & Charles Letourneur, Alven has kept growing over the years thanks to its stellar performance, from a first €8m institutional fund in 2000, to a fifth fund of €250m in 2016, consolidating its position as a leading European VC firm.
Read our Manifesto to learn more about our values, and our tips how to pitch us to learn more about what we look for.
Our History
May 2018
Sézane acquired by General Atlantic
December 2016 – Alven V
Alven raises €250m for its fifth fund
A testimony of Alven’s continued dynamism, Alven’s fifth and largest-ever fund is launched only 3 years after its predecessor, consolidating Alven’s position as a leading European VC firm
November 2016
Stripe raises a $150m Series D led by CapitalG/Google and General Catalyst, reaches 9.2b valuation
March 2015
Heetch Seed Round
January 2015
Dataiku Seed Round
October 2014
Wit.ai Seed Round
September 2014
Akeneo Seed Round
November 2013
Bime Analytics Series A
March 2013
Sézane Series A
March 2013: Alven IV
Alven continues to establish itself as a perennial player in the European VC ecosystem, by launching its fourth fund in 2013, followed in 2019 by the Alven IV opportunity fund – both totalling €190m
September 2012
Drivy Seed Round
March 2012
OpenClassrooms Seed Round
June 2010
PeopleDoc Series A
December 2009
MeilleursAgents Serie A
2008: Alven III
Following on its strong track record, Alven keeps growing in ambition & scope with its third, €100m fund, becoming one of the rare European funds over six-figure mark.
November 2006
SeLoger announces €370m IPO
Mid-2000s: Growing the team
As operations grow, Alven’s team grows into a tight and focused team with a strong tech & entrepreneurial background
December 2005
Webhelp is sold to Equistone in an €83m LBO
2003: Alven II
Alven raises its second, €40M fund, Alven II
Despite an unfavorable global economy, Alven is able to leverage the stellar performance of its first fund to gradually increase its operations in a second institutional fund of 36m€
Fall 2000
Alven invests in SeLoger
Summer 2000
Webhelp seed round
Summer 2000: Alven created
Alven is created in Paris by Guillaume Aubin and Charles Letourneur, with a first institutional fund of 10m€
Focusing on tech & digital early-stage startups, Guillaume & Charles, two college friends, decide to leave their investment & corporate banking careers, investing their savings in budding startups